ALLETE Profile
ALLETE, Inc. (ALLETE) operates as an energy company.
Minnesota Power’s latest Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), approved by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) in an order dated January 9, 2023, outlines its clean-energy transition plans through 2035. These plans include expanding its renewable energy supply to 70 percent by 2030, achieving coal-free operations at its facilities by 2035, and investing in a resilient and flexible transmission and distribution grid. Minnesota Power has also set a target to achieve an 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2035 compared to 2005 levels. As part of these plans, Minnesota Power anticipates adding up to 700 Megawatt (MW) of new wind and solar energy resources, and ceasing coal operations at Boswell Units 3 and 4 by 2030 and 2035, respectively. Minnesota Power’s plans recognize that advances in technology will play a significant role in completing its transition to carbon-free energy supply, reliably and affordably. The company’s newest business, New Energy, is a leading developer of community, commercial and industrial, and small utility-scale renewable energy projects that has completed more than 500 MW in its history.
On February 7, 2023, the Minnesota Governor signed into law legislation that updates the state’s renewable energy standard and requires Minnesota electric utilities to source retail sales with 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2040. The company is evaluating the law to identify challenges and opportunities it could present. Minnesota Power is also working with various stakeholders and participating in the regulatory process to implement this legislation.
ALLETE is predominately a regulated utility through Minnesota Power, SWL&P, and an investment in ATC. ALLETE’s strategy is to remain predominately a regulated utility while investing in ALLETE Clean Energy, New Energy and its Corporate and Other businesses to complement its regulated businesses, balance exposure to the utility’s industrial customers, and provide potential long-term earnings growth.
Regulated Operations includes the company’s regulated utilities, Minnesota Power (an operating division of the company) and Superior Water, Light and Power Company (SWL&P), as well as its investment in American Transmission Company LLC (ATC), a Wisconsin-based regulated utility that owns and maintains electric transmission assets in portions of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. Minnesota Power provides regulated utility electric service in northeastern Minnesota to approximately 150,000 retail customers. Minnesota Power also has 14 non-affiliated municipal customers in Minnesota. SWL&P is a Wisconsin utility and a wholesale customer of Minnesota Power. SWL&P provides regulated utility electric, natural gas and water service in northwestern Wisconsin to approximately 15,000 electric customers, 13,000 natural gas customers and 10,000 water customers. The company’s regulated utility operations include retail and wholesale activities under the jurisdiction of state and federal regulatory authorities.
ALLETE Clean Energy focuses on developing, acquiring, and operating clean and renewable energy projects. ALLETE Clean Energy owns and operates, in seven states, more than 1,200 MW of nameplate capacity wind energy generation with a majority contracted under PSAs of various durations. In addition, ALLETE Clean Energy engages in the development of wind energy facilities to operate under long-term PSAs or for sale to others upon completion.
Corporate and Other consists of New Energy, a renewable development company; the company’s investment in Nobles 2, an entity that owns and operates a 250 MW wind energy facility in southwestern Minnesota; South Shore Energy, its non-rate regulated, Wisconsin subsidiary developing NTEC, an approximately 600 MW proposed combined-cycle natural gas-fired generating facility; BNI Energy, the company’s coal mining operations in North Dakota; ALLETE Properties, its legacy Florida real estate investment; other business development and corporate expenditures; unallocated interest expense; a small amount of non-rate base generation; land holdings in Minnesota; and earnings on cash and investments.
Industrial Customers
In 2023, industrial customers represented 55 percent of total regulated utility Kilowatt-hour (kWh) sales. The company’s industrial customers are primarily in the taconite mining, paper, pulp and secondary wood products, and pipeline industries. Cliffs idled all production at its Northshore mine in 2022 and resumed partial pellet plant production in April 2023.
Six taconite facilities served by Minnesota Power made up approximately 70 percent of 2022 iron ore pellet production in the U.S. (United States of America) according to data from the Minnesota Department of Revenue 2023 Mining Tax Guide. These taconite facilities are owned by Cliffs and USS Corporation (United States Steel Corporation). Sales to taconite customers represented 4,935 million kWh, or 70 percent of total industrial customer kWh sales in 2023. Taconite, an iron bearing rock of relatively low iron content, is abundantly available in northern Minnesota and an important domestic source of raw material for the steel industry. Taconite processing plants use large quantities of electric power to grind the iron-bearing rock, and agglomerate and pelletize the iron particles into taconite pellets.
Minnesota Power’s taconite customers are capable of producing approximately 41 million tons of taconite pellets annually. Taconite pellets produced in Minnesota are primarily shipped to North American steel making facilities that are part of the integrated steel industry, which continue to lead the world in environmental performance among steelmaking countries.
In addition to serving the taconite industry, Minnesota Power serves a number of customers in the paper, pulp and secondary wood products industry, which represented 669 million kWh, or 10 percent of total industrial customer kWh sales in 2023. Minnesota Power also has an agreement to provide steam for one paper and pulp customer for use in the customer’s operations. The major paper and pulp mills the company serves reported operating at similar levels in 2023. ST Paper completed start-up of operations and is a Large Power Customer as of the first quarter of 2023.
Large Power Customer Contracts: Minnesota Power had eight Large Power Customer contracts as of December 31, 2023, each serving requirements of 10 MW or more of customer load. Certain facilities with common ownership are served under combined contracts. The customers as of December 31, 2023, consisted of six taconite facilities owned by Cliffs and USS Corporation, as well as four paper and pulp mills. Minnesota Power also serves Northshore Mining through a PSA with its affiliate Silver Bay Power, in addition to the load served through its Large Power Contract with United Taconite and Northshore Mining. (See Silver Bay Power PSA.)
Minnesota Power, as permitted by the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC), requires its taconite-producing Large Power Customers to pay weekly for electric usage based on monthly energy usage estimates. These customers receive estimated bills or make weekly prepayments based on Minnesota Power’s estimate of the customer’s energy usage, forecasted energy prices and fuel adjustment clause estimates. Minnesota Power’s taconite producing Large Power Customers have generally predictable energy usage on a week-to-week basis and any differences that occur are trued-up the following month.
Silver Bay Power PSA. Minnesota Power has a PSA with Silver Bay Power through 2031 to supply its full energy requirements. Silver Bay Power supplies approximately 90 MW of load to Northshore Mining, an affiliate of Silver Bay Power.
Residential and Commercial Customers. In 2023, residential and commercial customers represented 19 percent of total regulated utility kWh sales.
Municipal Customers. In 2023, municipal customers represented 4 percent of total regulated utility kWh sales.
Minnesota Power’s wholesale electric contracts with 14 non-affiliated municipal customers in Minnesota have termination dates ranging from 2029 through 2037, with a majority of contracts expiring in 2029. One of these wholesale contracts includes a termination clause requiring a 3-year notice to terminate. (See Note 4. Regulatory Matters.)
Other Power Suppliers. The company also enters into off-system sales with Other Power Suppliers. These sales are at market based prices into the MISO market on a daily basis or through bilateral agreements of various durations.
Minnkota Power PSA: Minnesota Power has a PSA with Minnkota Power where Minnesota Power is selling a portion of its entitlement from Square Butte to Minnkota Power, resulting in Minnkota Power’s net entitlement increasing and Minnesota Power’s net entitlement decreasing until Minnesota Power’s share is eliminated at the end of 2025. Of Minnesota Power’s 50 percent output entitlement, it sold approximately 37 percent to Minnkota Power in 2023.
Hibbing Public Utilities: In April 2022, Minnesota Power entered into a long-term Power Purchase and Market Energy Service Agreement with Hibbing Public Utilities for the period of June 1, 2022, through May 31, 2027. The agreement replaced the previous wholesale electric contract between Hibbing Public Utilities and Minnesota Power.
Seasonality
The operations of the company’s industrial customers, which make up a large portion of its electric sales, are not typically subject to significant seasonal variations. (See Electric Sales / Customers.). Peak sales of natural gas generally occur in the winter months. Additionally, the company’s regulated utilities have historically generated fewer sales and less revenue when weather conditions are milder in the winter and summer.
Power Supply
Minnesota Power had an annual net peak load of 1,551 MW on August 3, 2023.
Fuel: Minnesota Power purchases low-sulfur, sub-bituminous coal from the Powder River Basin region located in Montana and Wyoming. Coal consumption in 2023 for electric generation at Minnesota Power’s coal-fired generating stations was 2.7 million tons (2.7 million tons in 2022; 2.7 million tons in 2021). As of December 31, 2023, Minnesota Power had coal inventories of 0.7 million tons (0.8 million tons as of December 31, 2022). Minnesota Power has coal supply agreements providing for the purchase of a significant portion of its coal requirements through December 2025. Minnesota Power also has coal transportation agreements in place for the delivery of a significant portion of its coal requirements through December 2024.
Coal Delivered to Minnesota Power
Long-Term Purchased Power: Minnesota Power has contracts to purchase capacity and energy from various entities, including output from certain coal, wind, hydro and solar generating facilities.
Square Butte PPA: Under the PPA with Square Butte that extends through 2026, Minnesota Power is entitled to 50 percent of the output of Square Butte’s 455 MW coal-fired generating unit. BNI Energy mines and sells lignite coal to Square Butte. This lignite supply is sufficient to provide fuel for the anticipated useful life of the generating unit.
Manitoba Hydro: Minnesota Power has two long-term PPAs with Manitoba Hydro. The first PPA provides for Minnesota Power to purchase 250 MW of capacity and energy from Manitoba Hydro through May 2035. The second PPA provides for Minnesota Power to purchase up to 133 MW of energy from Manitoba Hydro through June 2040. A third PPA, which expired in April 2022 was an energy-only agreement, which primarily consisted of surplus hydro energy on Manitoba Hydro’s system that was delivered to Minnesota Power on a non-firm basis.
Wind Energy: Minnesota Power has a long-term PPA with Nobles 2 that provides for Minnesota Power to purchase the energy and associated capacity from a 250 MW wind energy facility in southwestern Minnesota through 2040. The agreement provides for the purchase of output from the facility at fixed energy prices. There are no fixed capacity charges, and Minnesota Power will only pay for energy as it is delivered. Minnesota Power also has two long-term wind energy PPAs with an affiliate of NextEra Energy, Inc. to purchase the output from Oliver Wind I (50 MW) and Oliver Wind II (48 MW) located in North Dakota.
Solar Energy: Minnesota Power purchases solar energy from approximately 20 MW of solar energy facilities located in Minnesota that are owned by an ALLETE subsidiary, and a 1 MW community solar garden in northeastern Minnesota, which is owned and operated by a third party.
Transmission and Distribution
The company has electric transmission and distribution lines of 500 kV (232 miles), 345 kV (241 miles), 250 kV (466 miles), 230 kV (715 miles), 161 kV (43 miles), 115 kV (1,380 miles) and less than 115 kV (6,415 miles). The company owns and operates 162 substations with a total capacity of 9,980 megavolt-amperes. Some of the company’s transmission and distribution lines interconnect with other utilities, and it owns some of its transmission lines jointly with other utilities.
Great Northern Transmission Line: As a condition of the 250 MW long-term PPA entered into with Manitoba Hydro, construction of additional transmission capacity was required. As a result, Minnesota Power constructed the Great Northern Transmission Line (GNTL), an approximately 220-mile 500-kV transmission line between Manitoba and Minnesota’s Iron Range that was proposed by Minnesota Power and Manitoba Hydro in order to strengthen the electric grid, enhance regional reliability and promote a greater exchange of sustainable energy.
Investment in ATC
The company’s wholly-owned subsidiary, ALLETE Transmission Holdings, Inc. (ALLETE Transmission Holdings), owns approximately 8 percent of ATC, a Wisconsin-based utility that owns and maintains electric transmission assets in portions of Wisconsin, Michigan, Minnesota and Illinois. The company accounts for its investment in ATC under the equity method of accounting.
Properties
The company’s Regulated Operations businesses own office and service buildings, an energy control center, repair shops, electric plants, transmission and distribution facilities and storerooms in various localities in Minnesota, Wisconsin and North Dakota. All of the electric plants are subject to mortgages, which collateralize the outstanding first mortgage bonds of Minnesota Power and SWL&P. Most of the generating plants and substations are located on real property owned by Minnesota Power or SWL&P, subject to the lien of a mortgage, whereas most of the transmission and distribution lines are located on real property owned by others with appropriate easement rights or necessary permits from governmental authorities. WPPI Energy owns 20 percent of Boswell Unit 4. WPPI Energy has the right to use the company’s transmission line facilities to transport its share of Boswell generation.
Regulatory Matters
Electric Rates: All rates and contract terms in the company’s Regulated Operations are subject to approval by applicable regulatory authorities. Minnesota Power and SWL&P design their retail electric service rates based on cost of service studies under which allocations are made to the various classes of customers as approved by the MPUC or the PSCW.
Public Service Commission of Wisconsin: The PSCW has regulatory authority over SWL&P’s retail sales of electricity, natural gas and water, issuances of securities and other matters. The resolution of SWL&P’s 2022 general rate case changed the allowed return on equity to 10.00 percent and maintained an equity ratio of 55.00 percent beginning January 1, 2023.
North Dakota Public Service Commission: The NDPSC has jurisdiction over site and route permitting of generation and transmission facilities in North Dakota.
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission: The FERC has jurisdiction over the licensing of hydroelectric projects, the establishment of rates and charges for transmission of electricity in interstate commerce, electricity sold at wholesale (including the rates for Minnesota Power’s municipal and wholesale customers), natural gas transportation, certain accounting and recordkeeping practices, certain activities of the company’s regulated utilities and the operations of ATC. FERC jurisdiction also includes enforcement of NERC mandatory electric reliability standards.
Regional Organizations
Midcontinent Independent System Operator, Inc.: Minnesota Power, SWL&P and ATC are members of MISO, a regional transmission organization. While Minnesota Power and SWL&P retain ownership of their respective transmission assets, their transmission networks are under the regional operational control of MISO. Minnesota Power and SWL&P take and provide transmission service under the MISO open access transmission tariff. In cooperation with stakeholders, MISO manages the delivery of electric power across 15 states and the Canadian province of Manitoba.
North American Electric Reliability Corporation: The NERC has been certified by the FERC as the national electric reliability organization. The NERC ensures the reliability of the North American bulk power system. The NERC oversees six regional entities that establish requirements, approved by the FERC, for reliable operation and maintenance of power generation facilities and transmission systems. Minnesota Power is subject to these reliability requirements and can incur significant penalties for noncompliance.
Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO): Minnesota Power and ATC are members of the MRO, one of the six regional entities overseen by the NERC. The MRO's primary responsibilities are to: ensure compliance with mandatory reliability standards by entities which own, operate or use the interconnected, international bulk power system; conduct assessments of the grid's ability to meet electricity demand in the region; and analyze regional system events. The MRO region spans the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and all or parts of 16 states.
Minnesota Legislation
Renewable and Carbon-Free Energy Requirements: On February 7, 2023, the Minnesota Governor signed into law legislation that updates the state’s renewable energy standard and requires Minnesota electric utilities to source retail sales with 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2040. The law increases the renewable energy standard from 25 percent renewable by 2025 to 55 percent renewable by 2035, and requires investor-owned Minnesota utilities to provide 80 percent carbon-free energy by 2030, 90 percent carbon-free energy by 2035 and 100 percent carbon-free energy by 2040.
Since 2020, approximately 50 percent of Minnesota Power’s power supply for its retail and municipal customers in Minnesota has been provided by renewable energy sources. Minnesota Power’s plans include expanding its renewable energy supply to 70 percent renewable energy by 2030. Minnesota Power has also set a target to achieve an 80 percent reduction in carbon emissions by 2035 compared to 2005 levels.
Minnesota Solar Energy Standard. Minnesota law requires at least 1.5 percent of total retail electric sales, excluding sales to certain customers, to be generated by solar energy. At least 10 percent of the 1.5 percent mandate must be met by solar energy generated by or procured from solar photovoltaic devices with a nameplate capacity of 40 Kilowatt (kW) or less and community solar garden subscriptions. Minnesota Power has met both parts of the solar mandate to date.
Franchises
Minnesota Power holds franchises to construct and maintain an electric distribution and transmission system in 95 cities. The remaining cities, villages and towns served by Minnesota Power do not require a franchise to operate. SWL&P serves customers under electric, natural gas or water franchises in 1 city and 14 villages and towns.
Allete Clean Energy
ALLETE Clean Energy focuses on developing, acquiring, and operating clean and renewable energy projects. ALLETE Clean Energy owns and operates, in seven states, more than 1,200 MW of nameplate capacity wind energy generation with a majority contracted under PSAs of various durations. In addition, ALLETE Clean Energy engages in the development of wind energy facilities to operate under long-term PSAs or for sale to others upon completion.
ALLETE Clean Energy believes the market for renewable energy in North America is robust, driven by several factors including environmental regulation, tax incentives such as the extension of production tax credit and investment tax credits, societal expectations and continual technology advances. State renewable portfolio standards, state or federal regulations to limit GHG emissions and the extension of production tax credit and investment tax credits are examples of environmental regulation or public policy that will drive renewable energy development.
ALLETE Clean Energy’s strategy includes the safe, reliable, optimal and profitable operation of its existing facilities. ALLETE Clean Energy generally acquires facilities in liquid power markets and its strategy includes the exploration of PSA extensions upon expiration of existing contracts, production tax credit requalification of existing facilities or the sale of facilities.
ALLETE Clean Energy manages risk by having a diverse portfolio of assets, which includes PSA expiration, technology and geographic diversity. The operating portfolio is subject to typical variations in seasonal wind with higher wind resources typically available in the winter months. The majority of its planned maintenance leverages this seasonality and is performed during lower wind periods.:
The majority of ALLETE Clean Energy’s wind operations are located on real property owned by others with easement rights or necessary consents of governmental authorities. One of ALLETE Clean Energy’s wind energy facilities is encumbered by liens against its assets securing financing. ALLETE Clean Energy’s Glen Ullin, South Peak, Diamond Spring and Caddo wind energy facilities are subject to tax equity financing structures. (See Note 1. Operations and Significant Accounting Policies.)
Corporate and Other
New Energy
In April 2022, a wholly-owned subsidiary of ALLETE acquired 100 percent of the membership interests of New Energy. New Energy is a renewable energy development company with a primary focus on solar and storage facilities while also offering comprehensive operations, maintenance and asset management services. New Energy is a leading developer of community, commercial and industrial, and small utility-scale renewable energy projects that has completed more than 500 MW in its history. New Energy has a robust project pipeline with greater than 2,000 MW of renewable projects in development across over 20 different states. New Energy is involved in greenfield development as well as acquiring and completing mid-stage and late-stage renewable energy projects. New Energy will continue its current strategy of developing and operating renewable energy projects.
Investment in Nobles 2
The company’s subsidiary, ALLETE South Wind, owns a 49 percent equity interest in Nobles 2, the entity that owns and operates a 250 MW wind energy facility in southwestern Minnesota pursuant to a 20-year PPA with Minnesota Power.
South Shore Energy
South Shore Energy, ALLETE’s non-rate regulated, Wisconsin subsidiary, is developing NTEC, an approximately 600 MW proposed combined-cycle natural gas-fired generating facility to be built in Superior, Wisconsin, which will be jointly owned by Dairyland Power Cooperative, Basin and South Shore Energy. Minnesota Power is expected to purchase approximately 20 percent of the facility's output starting in 2028 pursuant to a capacity dedication agreement. Construction of NTEC is subject to obtaining additional permits from local, state and federal authorities.
BNI Energy
BNI Energy is a supplier of lignite coal in North Dakota, producing approximately 4 million tons annually and has an estimated 650 million tons of lignite coal reserves. Two electric generating cooperatives, Minnkota Power and Square Butte, consume virtually all of BNI Energy’s production of lignite under cost-plus fixed fee coal supply agreements extending through December 31, 2037. The mining process disturbs and reclaims between 200 and 250 acres per year. Laws require that the reclaimed land be at least as productive as it was prior to mining.
ALLETE Properties
ALLETE Properties represents the company’s legacy Florida real estate investment. ALLETE Properties’ major project in Florida is Town Center at Palm Coast, which consists of approximately 200 acres of land as well as various residential units and non-residential square footage. In addition to the Town Center at Palm Coast project, ALLETE Properties has approximately 500 acres of other land available for sale.
Seller Financing: ALLETE Properties occasionally provides seller financing to qualified buyers.
Non-Rate Base Generation and Miscellaneous
As of December 31, 2023, non-rate base generation consists of 29 MW of natural gas and hydro generation at Rapids Energy Center in Grand Rapids, Minnesota, which is primarily dedicated to the needs of one customer, UPM Blandin (UPM, Blandin paper mill owned by UPM-Kymmene Corporation), and approximately 20 MW of solar energy facilities located in Sylvan, Hoyt Lakes, and Duluth, Minnesota, which sell energy generated to Minnesota Power.
Environmental Matters
The company’s businesses are subject to regulation of environmental matters by various federal, state and local authorities. A number of regulatory changes to the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and various waste management requirements have been promulgated by both the EPA and state authorities over the past several years. Minnesota Power’s facilities are subject to additional requirements under many of these regulations.
Strategy
ALLETE’s strategy is to remain predominately a regulated utility while investing in ALLETE Clean Energy, New Energy and its Corporate and Other businesses to complement its regulated businesses, balance exposure to the utility’s industrial customers, and provide potential long-term earnings growth.
Environmental Matters
The company’s businesses are subject to regulation of environmental matters by various federal, state and local authorities. A number of regulatory changes to the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act and various waste management requirements have been promulgated by both the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and state authorities over the past several years. Minnesota Power’s facilities are subject to additional requirements under many of these regulations.
History
ALLETE, Inc. was founded in 1906. The company was incorporated under the laws of Minnesota in 1906.
